The Washington critic., 1887-11-18
WASHINGTON, NOV. Is, 1887.
THE RAILROAD PUZZLE.

There Is wide diversity between
the railroad plans OF the District Com.
missioners and the plans of the Citi
zens' Committee, 1t is quite distance
from the intersection of Maryland and
Virginia avenues to Reservation II, as
sites for the Union depot, and no two
schemes could well be further apart
than the circuitOus route of entrance
proposed for the H. and o. by the com.
mi,tee aud the Eleventh street tunnel
entrance suggested by the Commits.
sioners. The differences are such as
to threaten a protracted conflict, not
only between the local interests Ia.
volved, but between these interests and
the b. and o, Railroad, which an,ago.
mixes either plan; and unless terms of
reasonable compromise can be made all
around, 1t is not likely that much, If
any, progress will be made this winter
In settling the railroad controversy.
There are only two points that we
desire to call attention TO just
now. One Is that NO matter
what routes are ultimately designated,
the roads coming into the city will
necessarily have 10 cross some streets.
run along some others, perhaps tunnel
under still others, and somebody Is sure
10 raise loud clamor that the value of
lis property or the quiet of his house.
hold is endangered thereby. No se-
lection will ever be made with which
everybody will be pleased. Therefore,
while It is just that none be oppressed,
1t Is equally just that the general well
fare should supersede all individual
considerations. Another point is that
the people of Washington will prob.
ably never assent with willingness to
the location Of Union Depot very far
distant from the centre of commercial
and hotel traffic. The entire subject,
however. will shortly come up for ex-
tended discussion, with Congress as
well as people for an audience.
Our old friend. Judge Thoman,
formerly of the Civil Service Commits.
sion and closely Identified with the
somewhat variegated history Of reform
In this country, has become the mana.
ger Of the Youngstown Ohio Inde-
pendent, which is issued daily, and, as
Its name suggests, will be politically
Independent, and of the Youngstown
hdrance, which is to be weekly paper
and devo'ed to the interests of the
Democratic party To cover the whole
ground, the Judge should add to his
outfit daily evening edition, pledged
TO the support and advancement of the
principles of the grand old Republican
party. Civil "Surface" reform In the
morning, Republicanism In the after.
noon and unadulterated Jacksoniar
Democracy on Sunday ought to be &
taking combination. In any event, We
extend to the Judge THE CRITIc's bes
wishes for the success OF his under
taking.
The Interstate Commerce law may
come up In Congress this winter fo
amendment, but not for repeal.
seems pretty certain that the law will
stand. The people appear to be salts
fed with Its operations as far as 1t ha
been tested; and, as correspondent o
the New York Tribune says, the rail
roads will gladly make up to the Gov
eminent the 100000 annually whicI
the Commission asks for, If Congress
will only keep the law as 1t Is. Th
correspondent says:
The law has been and Is OF inoalculabl
benefit to the railways. It has abolishe
passes. which drained each of them frol
800 to $4,000 per week tacoording to Nj
Adams report) and made them independer
of the thirty.six State boards Of railroad con
missioners. The pools are abolished. Bis
the pool commissioners still diiferentiate an
manage to keep up prices to pool rates I
every case where they have not increase
them beyond pool rates, nor In single II
stance has rate been lowered or throug
rate been adjusted to local and non'comp,t
tive tariffs under the long and short h,r
clause, unless II was to the particular rail
ways manifest interest to do SO for purpose
of actual revenue.
Now THAT the English, the Canada
and the American Commissioners al